This explains everything

[Pocster]

[ProDave]

It's a bit like watches.  Ask a man with one watch what the time is, and he is sure.  a man who has several watches is never quite sure.

 

If you measure a gap with one measure, then mark the bit of wood with the same measure, all will be fine.

 

Work out which one is missing a bit and throw it in the bin.

[ToughButterCup]

For each critical measurement, I now use all of the following:  a (German) yardstick, a laser and then a (Swedish) steel tape. Sometimes I wait, do something else and re-do the measurements. If I can't get a consistent result, I use a story-stick, and measure that. I've recently taken to marking wood with a craft knife, not a 3H pencil.

Maybe thats the difference between the different Fit Levels. With 3rd-fit stuff  you can't mutter quietly

 

" Nobody's gonna know"

 

Each instrument has its strengths and weaknesses. But I remember @Nickfromwales advice about the issue (years ago). He was right - measure at least twice. 

 

 

[joth]

I assume that's a meme off the internet, not @pocster's own tool failure

They're both imperial only, so presumably a USA meme.

 

 

 

 

[Pocster]

3 minutes ago, joth said:

I assume that's a meme off the internet, not @pocster's own tool failure

They're both imperial only, so presumably a USA meme.

 

 

 

 

Yes . My tool functions fine ; but is equally difficult to get an accurate measure of …

[ToughButterCup]

use a micrometre son... you know it make sense

[Adsibob]

4 hours ago, pocster said:

If you are using imperial units of measurement, you have greater issues.

[Onoff]

2 hours ago, pocster said:

Yes . My tool functions fine ; but is equally difficult to get an accurate measure of …

 

Presumably you, "measure with the top tape"? 

 

"I know it doesn't feel like it luv, but the tape doesn't lie!"

[jack]

19 minutes ago, Adsibob said:

If you are using imperial units of measurement, you have greater issues.

 

I occasionally watch woodworking videos on Youtube. Watching Americans doing mental arithmetic using combinations of quarters, 8ths, 16ths, and 32nds is physically painful. I mean, it's clever that they can do it at all, but if I'm working on something, I want to focus on the work, not the maths.

[Pocster]

16 minutes ago, Onoff said:

I know it doesn't feel like it luv, but the tape doesn't lie!"

That your SWMBO or mine ?

[saveasteading]

5 hours ago, ProDave said:

throw it in the bin.

I suspect Stanley would be shocked, and give you a new one..

 

For very, very accurate measurement I was taught not to use the end, so we would start at 1m or whatever, as long as we remembered to add that to the number.

 

Some special tapes have a long pull handle to allow this to be done from a proper zero.

 

There are different categories of accuracy  and some are remarkably approximate to be considered to be to a standard.

That is understandable for a rough survey through undergrowth where a fibre tape is better and an approximation will suffice.

 

BUT I once bought an own-brand  steel tape from TS which was out by over 100mm over 30m.  (The worst Class 3 would have allowed 15mm error). Could have been expensive and we had all the foundations, bolts  and walls in using it before, fortunately, using another tape.

I got the money back but declined to take it back to the shop. Presumably that level of error is known at the factory but deliberately overlooked.

 

 

[JohnMo]

You've been sold short

[SteamyTea]

Not the length, its is the girth that is important.

[Marvin]

You cheapskates! Buying for the lowest price!

 

You need at least a class two tape:

Edited June 7, 2022 by Marvin
Spellingggg

[Pocster]

47 minutes ago, Marvin said:

You cheapskates! Buying for the lowest price!

 

You need at least a class two tape:

12 inches of jam 

[MikeSharp01]

Get decent class 1 tapes and work with them. Here are two of mine, about 1mm out over 8m, against a non class one tape.

[Marvin]

4 minutes ago, MikeSharp01 said:

Get decent class 1 tapes and work with them. Here are two of mine, about 1mm out over 8m, against a non class one tape.

For a class one it should be no more than 0.9mm over 8 meters in accordance with EC regulations 2004/32 

[SteamyTea]

6 minutes ago, MikeSharp01 said:

about 1mm out over 8m

Where they at the same temperature?

[MikeSharp01]

Yes - they were left out together to stabilise, maybe one absorbed more sun than the other.

[MikeSharp01]

On 06/06/2022 at 16:38, saveasteading said:

For very, very accurate measurement

I use a lazer!

[SteamyTea]

Just now, MikeSharp01 said:

I use a lazer!

I sailed one.

 

13 minutes ago, MikeSharp01 said:

about 1mm

 

7 minutes ago, Marvin said:

no more than 0.9mm

Called a gnats cock on the shop floor.

 

Now, interference fits, tights as a nun's (expletive deleted).

[MikeSharp01]

Last time I looked 0.9mm was about a mm. Still, yesterday I lost 3 microns - took me all day with an inchworm, couple of nanometers at a time, to get it back.